Smash
by Keitorin Asthore
Summary: Artemis learns of his father's death. Oneshot. COMPLETE.


Disclaimer: Artemis Fowl belongs to Eoin Colfer, not me.

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He wasn't there when it happened. He wasn't watching the news. He wasn't even paying attention.

At three-nineteen in the morning, it happened. And he didn't know.

A big hand roughly shook him awake. "What's wrong?" he said, sitting up and squinting in the half-light.

The bedside lamp cast strange shadows, blurring the features of Butler's face until he blended into the shadows. "It's your father," he said.

"He's back?" Artemis said.

"He's dead."

Artemis straightened up. "No," he said.

"His ship was detonated along the coastline," Butler said.

"Did they find his body?"

"No."

"Then he could still be alive," Artemis said. He climbed out of bed and stalked down the hall.

"Artemis, it's impossible," Butler said. He strode after him, his long legs easily matching the boy's steps.

"It's not impossible," Artemis said, raking his fingers through his short dark hair. "In fact, it's entirely plausible." He switched on his computer; the hot white glow cut through the darkness of his study.

"Artemis-"

"Leave me alone," he said absently.

The door closed. Artemis typed feverishly, checking every search engine- legal and illegal. He contacted every applicable person in his database. He scoured GPS maps.

The clock on the shelf chimed. He rubbed his eyes and stared at the window. Light filtered through the Roman shade. "Ten-thirty," he murmured.

Artemis buried his face in his hands. He closed his eyes and cleared his mind. "Focus," he said quietly. "Focus. _Focus._"

His lips trembled. He pressed them together, gritted his teeth, and took a deep breath. Resolutely he typed out a document and clicked print. The printer whirred to life as he stood up, slammed his chair back against the desk, and stalked down the hallway.

"Artemis? Are you all right?" Butler asked.

"Fine," he said curtly, pushing past his bodyguard. "There is a list in my printer. I need those items procured."

Butler followed him. "What kinds of things?" he asked.

"Monitors, GPS equipment, the like," Artemis said.

"But what about-"

"Leave me alone!" Artemis barked. Butler stopped. Artemis made his way down the hallway, his bare feet sinking into the thick plush carpet.

The curtains hadn't been drawn. The cut-crystal vases still held yesterday's flowers. The entire manor was empty. Artemis walked faster, his heart beating rapidly against his ribcage.

The double doors of his parents' suite were closed. Artemis halted, then knocked twice. Juliet opened the door. "Arty," she said softly. Her usually rosy cheeks were stark white. "Arty, honey, not now."

"Don't patronize me," he said through his teeth. "Where's my mother?"

"Artemis, she's not-"

"Where's Mom?" he said, his voice rising.

Glass shattered, making them both jump. Juliet stepped back. "She's in here," she said.

Artemis shoved her away. "Mother," he called.

Angeline stood by the window, the remains of a vase sparkling on the carpet around her. "I told him not to go," she sobbed. "I told him."

Artemis picked his way around the shards of broken glass. "Mother, don't do anything rash," he said.

She snatched up the hand mirror on her vanity and moved to throw it. Artemis caught her by the wrist. "What are you doing?" she demanded.

"Destroying your possessions does nothing," he said.

Angeline pushed him away. Artemis stumbled back as she threw the mirror into the wall. His mother's slender shoulders heaved as she stared at the silvery threads scattered across the floor. "He's gone," she said in a low voice. "I told him to stop. I told him." She stared out the window, her brilliant blue eyes blank as she watched the wide expanse of the harbor. "I _begged _him."

"Mom," Artemis said.

She didn't look at him. Her thin fingers gripped the silk damask curtains with surprising ferocity.

"Mother, he might still be alive," Artemis said. "If I could just-"

"Don't be stupid, darling," Angeline whispered. She held onto the curtains as if they were the only thing that could hold her up.

Artemis turned on his heel, scratching the thin skin of the arch on a piece of glass. "Artemis, she doesn't mean it," Juliet said in a low voice. "Come back."  
He ignored her. Instead, he walked calmly back towards his own room. Something else shattered and he stifled a wince. He stared straight ahead, his eyes burning.

Artemis's chest ached. He breathed deeply in an attempt to calm himself. It was useless.

Butler's heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor. "Artemis, where are you?" he said.

He walked faster. Butler pursued him. "Juliet told me what happened."

Artemis ducked into his bedroom and closed the door. He leaned against it heavily, his throat tightening. The drawn curtains left his room in darkness; his unmade bed looked cold and alien in the half light.

Butler's footsteps halted in front of the door. "I know you're in here," he said.

"I'm fine," Artemis said, his voice thick. "Have lunch sent up to my study."

He was silent for a moment. "Do you want anything in particular?" Butler asked quietly.

"I don't care," Artemis said.

He heard Butler shift outside the door, as if he was about to say something but decided against it. "All right," he said at last, and his footsteps faded away.

Artemis tipped his head back, staring up at the ceiling. His vision blurred. He gripped the doorframe, his clipped fingernails tearing into the polished wood as his knuckles whitened. His chest heaved.

He was aware of only a few things- the crushing weight in his chest, the spinning in his head, the sharp pricking behind his eyelids. Artemis's shoulders heaved. He tore his hands from the doorframe, grabbed up a glass award languishing on his bookshelf, and hurled it into the armoire in the corner. It shattered into a thousand pieces. Artemis charged across the floor, skidding over the broken pieces, and tore a framed photograph off the wall. His eyes burned, and he threw down books, paintings- whatever he could reach.

The mindless destruction satisfied the rage that burned against his ribs. He stood in the middle of his darkened bedroom, his shoulders heaving, and surveyed the damage. Artemis swiped at his cheeks, leaving damp streaks across his silk pajama sleeve. Tentatively he touched the fragile skin beneath his eye. Tears clung to the thick fringe of lower lashes and he dashed them away.

He had work to do.

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**Author's Notes:**

I've wanted to write this for a really, really long time and never got around to it. So...here it is.

I always wondered how Artemis originally reacted to the news that his father was dead. And how Angeline would react. I don't know if this keeps them in character, but this is what I envisioned.

I hope you liked it!


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